Lafayette or La Fayette, is originally a surname or a toponym coming from the Occitan words la faieta and that designates a beech forest.
Due to the fame of American Revolutionary War commander Marquis de Lafayette, Lafayette is also a given name in the United States.
Notable people with the name include:
Surname Andrée Lafayette (1903–1989), French actress Bernard Lafayette (1940–2026), American civil rights activist and organizer Ivan Lafayette (1930–2016), longtime member of the New York State Assembly (1977–2008) James Lafayette (1853–1923), pseudonym of James Stack Lauder, portrait photographer, James Armistead Lafayette (c. 1760–1830), aka James Armistead, African-American Revolutionary War spy Nathan LaFayette (born 1973), former National Hockey League player Oliver Lafayette (born 1984), American professional basketball player Ross Lafayette (born 1985), English professional footballer Ruby Lafayette (1844–1935), American film actress Virginie de Pusy Lafayette (born 1970), French clubwoman
Given name Lafayette C. Baker (1826–1868), American investigator and Union spy during the American Civil War; promoted for his part in apprehending Lincoln's assassins Lafayette Bunnell (1824–1903), American physician, explorer and author Lafayette Caskey (1823–1881), a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly La Fayette Eastman (1819–1898), a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly LaFayette Emmett (1822–1905), American lawyer, second attorney general of the Minnesota Territory and first chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court Lafayette Rodrigues Pereira (1834–1917), Brazilian Prime Minister Lafayette L. Foster (1851–1901), American academic administrator, politician, and journalist Lafayette S. Foster (1806–1880), American senator from Connecticut and Connecticut Supreme Court judge Lafayette Gilchrist (born 1967), American jazz pianist and composer La Fayette Grover (1823–1911), American Democratic politician and lawyer from the U.S. state of Oregon Lafayette Guild (1826–1870), United States Army and Confederate States Army surgeon; pioneer in the study of yellow fever Lafayette Head (1825–1897), Colorado legislator and first Lieutenant Governor of Colorado Lafayette Holbrook (1850–1941), mayor of Provo, Utah Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (1911–1986), better known as L. Ron Hubbard, science fiction author and founder of Scientology Lafayette Lane (1842–1896), Representative from Oregon Lafayette Leake (1919–1990), blues and jazz pianist, organist, vocalist and composer Lafayette S. Lafe McKee (1872–1959), American actor who appeared in more than 400 films from 1912 to 1948. LaFayette Fayette McMullen (1805–1880), American politician and banker; Virginia state senator, member of the U.S. and Confederate House of Representatives, and Territorial Governor of Washington Lafayette McLaws (1821–1897), Confederate general during the American Civil War Lafayette Mendel (1872–1935), American biochemist Lafayette F. Mosher (1824–1894), American politician and judge in Oregon Lafayette Lever (born 1960), also known as "Fat Lever", former professional basketball player LaFayette L. Patterson (1888–1987), Representative from Alabama Lafayette Russell (1905–1978), college and National Football League running back Lafayette Young (1848–1926), newspaper reporter and editor, and briefly Republican Senator from Iowa
See also House of La Fayette Lafe, a list of people with the given name, often as a short form of Lafayette Lafayette (disambiguation) Fayette (given name) John Sykes Fayette (c. 1810–1876), Canadian-born American Presbyterian minister, Ohio's first African-American college graduate